Begin Anew
by Zeki-Kiryuu-kun628
Summary: Well, I don't know where this lead, but hopefully somewhere. It's a start for me.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Kingdom Hearts, nor any of it's characters. They are the property of Disney and Square Enix. I hope you enjoy. It's been some time since I wrote a fanfiction. I just haven't been feeling like it. I may turn this into a weekly thing. Hopefully, I can return to it. I hope it doesn't sound too awkward. I may as well do something, especially since my Wednesday was pretty boring. I hope things go smoothly. Does anyone think its silly that a nearly 26 year old woman is still into Kingdom Hearts?**

 **Chapter One**

"Can't they just give me a break?" Axel asked himself as he laid in his bed, looking up at the white ceiling. It had been six days since that boy showed up, but he was still expected to show the new kid the ropes. Why him? There were other people in this godforsaken, mechanical castle that could have given that zombie guidance. I mean, sure Xigbar and Xaldin were always scouting for new recruits. Zexion and Vexen were always away in their labs, doing who knows what. Saix was too busy always barking out orders that the boss man gave him. The superior was an enigma and didn't know where the guy went half the time. Saix may care about that, but the fiery assassin didn't bother.

"Who is that kid anyways?" Axel pondered as he recalled his first encounter with the boy. He had shown up in Twilight Town one day after finishing business as usual, the twenty-five year old man always got some ice cream at this time of day. It was sort of the only thing he had looking up in his pathetic, endless nonexistence. Axel had wondered why he didn't just end it all but one would need a heart to actually care about _ending it all_ , right? The fiery redhead didn't have that and neither did anyone else in the hollow world he and them called home. Anyways, Axel found himself in the company of someone unexpected.

"Boss, what are you doing here?" Axel asked dumbfounded almost dropping the ice cream bars that he had just bought from the old lady at the ice cream shop.

The hooded man remained silent for a bit. Axel felt awkward seeing him here of all places. "I could ask you the same thing in regards to those sweets." Axel felt himself embarrassed at the aforementioned sweets. He couldn't really argue with the boss man because he lacked the authority to do so. "I have someone that I would like you to meet," the man said, snapping Axel out of his shock.

"Meet?" Axel asked.

"Yes, he's a new member. He is very important," the boss replied. The two had encountered the forest that sat at the edge of the small, semi-developed town, the forest was lush green and it seemed endless. Axel had to trek through this same forest on a numerous of missions that just somehow dragged into the night. The missions that Saix gave out didn't have a deadline, so some members like Demyx and Axel himself would use them as some sort of a vacation. The only difference, Axel would finish up and go back while Demyx would have to be dragged back to the castle, kicking and screaming. "We're here!" Xemnas called.

They had reached the seemingly endless forest and entered a clearing. Axel was so preoccupied in reminiscing about the mundane that he just tuned out Xemnas and his footsteps or even the annoying chirping of crickets and birds that called this place home. Did they ever get tired of being stuck in the same place like Axel and Demyx did? Did they ever try to escape it? The answer was probably no. "Number XIII, Roxas, glad to see you still here." Xemnas spoke.

Axel perked up and looked at the person the Superior spoke to. The boy appeared to be fifteen; he was dressed in a white shirt, some pants that seemed to be a mix of black and khaki brown, black sneakers with red on them and some other aspects that Axel didn't bother to take note of. The sandy blonde haired boy just stared up at both of them with empty sky blue eyes. "Why isn't he saying anything?" Axel thought. "Oh right, he had just appeared. I guess, that explains why he didn't run off and just stood here like some sort of statue."

Xemnas turned to Axel. "I leave him in your care, Number VIII."

"What-no! Boss!" Axel tried calling out as Xemnas abruptly left in a portal of spiraling blacks and purples.

The boy stared up at Axel with the same empty eyes. "What, can't you do anything else?" Axel asked the boy annoying. The boy's head lowered. "Well, at least you're not a complete zombie." the redhead joked until he remembered the ice cream bars, which had melted away in one of his coat pockets. Axel sighed. "What a waste of good munny. I guess, I have to buy some new ones."

Axel threw the bars to the side, some wildlife would just eat them up. After all, the old lady at the store told him that the packaging was made from some biodegradable material or some shit like that. Axel usually was against littering since discarding the bars in the nearby town got him away from that bleak castle for some time. "Do you want some ice cream, kid?" Axel asked the blonde kid.

"Ice...cream?" the boy asked. Axel was a little shock for a bit.

"Yeah, ice cream, it's something people eat. It's really sweet and cold. Kids like you and grown ups like me can't get enough of the stuff. Heck, in some worlds, people can't get enough of the stuff that they turn into walking whales and have health problems," Axel wanted to face palm at that lousy joke. He thought this newly awakened nobody would at least give him some sort of reaction at the mention of obesity and health problems. I mean, he's encountered some nobodies, mainly dusks that would act offended or just nod their heads as in some mention of laughing. No, reaction came from the boy. Axel was pretty much stuck grabbing the boy by the arm and leading him out of the forest. That was more of a nuisance than just him staring up at him with those blank, blue eyes.

The boy kept falling and Axel would have to keep picking him up, the boy wasn't used to his body. The redhead wondered if he was like this when he was first _born_. Either way, the boy got the hang of it and pretty much started walking normally like a human. Axel was relieved since he didn't want to think about training this kid to walk, he was a teen not a toddler! The redhead decided to take this boy to get more ice cream.

The old lady was a little surprised to see Axel back in front of her shop. "I see, you have a sweet tooth. I guess, you're addicted, eh?" the old lady chuckled. Axel just took some more munny, small light yellow coins out of one of his pockets and gave them to the lady. He didn't want to hear more unfunny jokes for the day. The old lady came back with two more ice cream bars and gave them to Axel.

The old lady smiled and went back to running her small shop. Axel turned around and saw that Roxas was looking at something, the boy was looking at some speck of dirt on the ground at first. However, now he wasn't looking at that. Axel followed the boy's line of sight and saw that he was looking at three kids. One of them with the same ice cream bars that Axel had just bought. The boy went walking off and Axel stopped him by clumping a hand down on his shoulder. "I can't let you wonder off. I am in charge of you. I can't let you do as you please."

The boy seemed to keep "fighting" against Axel, but he relented once the three teenagers were gone, Axel had put away the two ice cream bars that he had just bought in one of his pockets with his spare hand. "Well, I think you and I best get going," Axel said but then stopped.

The boy stared emptily at him. "I can't have you going back to that empty place just yet." Axel scratched the back of his head and then remembered his special place. He looked at the boy and then paused. "Do I really have to bring you there? You might just ruin my-" Axel then noticed that the boy was looking elsewhere.

"Well, I guess I have no choice," Axel remarked. The two of them were up a hill and near the train station. They climbed some stairs and finally reached an exit. Axel gently sat down, showing the boy how to sit, the boy took a seat. The redhead had to make some readjustments since the boy was skittering towards the edge of falling off. "Why can't you just be normal?" Axel groaned. "Well, anyways, I think you deserve this as some sort of birthday gift," Axel said pulling one of the ice cream bars out and handing it to the boy.

The boy unwrapped it and handed Axel back the wrapper. Axel chuckled a bit, "I guess, I didn't have to teach you that. You're not so much as a zombie as I thought, are you?"

The boy didn't respond and slowly began munching into his light blue ice cream bar. Axel did the same, but when he started biting into his. "Man, why does this have to be so salty?" Axel remarked out loud.

The boy looked at him with a sort of glint of amusement. "It's salty...but sweet," the boy replied.

"True," Axel finished. He was smiling a bit on the inside. "I guess, you're not a complete zombie, are you, eh Roxas?" he thought to himself.

The bells of the clock tower began ringing. Roxas began grasping his ears, "Too...loud," he said. Axel saw the boy going back and forth. He began to panic. The blonde haired boy slumped to the side. Axel picked up the boy. "What set off that reaction?" he asked himself.

A slivering white thing appeared out of a vortex, a Dusk. The thing looked at Axel, it had something black sitting in the jaws of its almost zipped up mouth. Axel grabbed the black thing, careful to make sure he didn't tear it, it was a black coat. It was very similar to his but much smaller. Axel looked at the slumped over boy. "I can't leave you here. Perhaps, Vexen or somebody at the Organization would know how to fix you." Axel wrapped the boy up in the coat, well rather slipped the coat over the fifteen year old boy's body. It looked awkward, especially with the bulges from the clothes he had on already along with the black sneakers with red. It would have to do until they got back to the castle.

The crimson haired man woke up in his bed, nothing had changed. Everything was back in place. The boy had woken up, Saix had told him. Axel was a little relieved. Saix took notice of the small smile forming on the man's face. "Get Roxas ready for his presentation. The superior and everyone is awaiting to see him."


	2. Chapter 2

**Happy Mother's Day to everyone, sorry if my last chapter sounded dull. I am trying. I do wonder if I am just over explaining every detail. I am just returning to fanfiction writing, especially in the Kingdom Hearts fandom. I hope I didn't bore any of you to tears.**

 **Chapter 2**

Axel didn't have time to meet with Saix since the guy was always barking out orders and he had Roxas to contend with. Roxas, the newest member of the Organization that everyone was talking about and the redhead's very own mentee. The boy had blanked out on his very first day of existence and had thankfully regained consciousness just yesterday. He still stared at Axel with those empty aqua blue eyes and was still sluggish. Would this boy always be like this? Was Axel like this when he first came into the world as a nobody? Axel didn't care, he was more intrigued by Saix being included in a meeting usually meant for the founding members.

The Organization had always been secretive even when Axel and Saix had both lost their hearts and joined. The founding members were Xemnas, Xigbar, Xaldin, Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion; they had formed the group of nobodies after their hearts and world had succumbed to an enigmatic darkness. _Nobodies_ had ranged in appearance but they all had held onto their bodies unlike the _Heartless_ , beasts that were pretty much a manifestation of one's own heart corrupted by darkness. Well, that's what Axel had managed to piece together. He couldn't bother with nitpicks between the variety of Heartless since the only ones that he and everyone could only destroy were the _Purebloods_.

Of course things were a little different now, Saix and Axel had managed to craft a new cog into their strategy. The cog came in the form of Roxas. Axel was a bit skeptical from what everyone was saying about the boy and his ability to wield a certain weapon that could in theory collect hearts. The weapon was called a keyblade and Axel thought that was a ridiculous name because well the image of one logging around a giant key-shaped sword sounded quite stupid. What could it do but beat someone over the head while the holder pretty much did nothing but unlock every door they came across? Axel would need to see this special weapon in action before he could make a judgment call. After all, Saix didn't take too kindly to his little joke.

Axel also began to get interested in another thing involving Saix, which had to do with a certain dog-faced man that came over to the castle. From the little that the redhead knew about this guy, he lived in some apartment in the city that sat below the castle. The city was full of nothing but decrepit skyscrapers and alleyways that always seemed polluted by _Pureblood_ Heartless. Some pathways in the city were inaccessible, especially in front of Memory Skyscraper. It used be split in two but the second path had been blocked off by a crashed semi trailer truck. Axel wondered why the world much less that city needed such a vehicle or why Xemnas hadn't ordered it's clean up, but some things are better left to the imagination.

"So, um do you have any work for me?" the dark furred dog-faced man asked sitting on one of the couches in the Gray Area. The room served as a lounge area where everyone met and received their missions from Saix. The place was completely bleak, save for the giant and long window that overlooked the dimly lit and abandoned city beneath.

Saix stood in the middle of the extended window wall, looking over at the man. "I need you to keep an eye on someone. He is very critical to the Organization."

"You don't mean them, right?" the dog-faced asked.

"Yes," Saix nodded.

"I don't know if I can face them. Why are they so important anyways?"

"If I were you, I would best not ask so many questions. You have your mission. I expect you accomplish it or else, understand?"

"Yes, I understand," the man replied before standing up and being enveloped by black and purple smoke. He was gone and Saix walked from his position, bumping into Axel. "You best not pry, you have a mission to do." Saix walked off, leaving the exasperated redhead to his own devises.

In the Betwixt of In Between, the dog faced man walked, mumbling under his breath. Several memories flashed through his head. The memories included another dog faced man in an orange sweater, ridiculous blue polka dot bow tie, teal green trousers and giant brown, leather shoes. "Maxey, help me move the furniture in!" the dog commanded.

An eleven year dog faced boy wearing a red polo, bluish purple jeans, and sneakers tipped with green and yellow playing on a small yellow box-like device. His white gloved fingers went up and down on the gray shaped cross and small circles while the pixelated figure jumped up and across several platforms. "Sorry dad, I'm busy!" the boy replied, engrossed in his game.

"Maxey," the man kept saying while hauling several cardboard boxes into the house. The man was unaware of their gray tabby cat sitting in his path. The man stumbled back and forth with how heavy the box was, accidentally stepping on the cat's tail. Hisses arose from the cat and it seemingly rocketed into the next door neighbor's house. A loud ouch and extreme swearing came from the neighbor's. The man had came back from putting away the box and snatched the device from the boy's hands.

"Dad, why I was almost on the next level," the boy known as Maxey groaned.

"I asked you to help me with moving, Maximilian Goof!" the man replied, arms crossed.

The boy stood up and while sulking walked into the moving truck. "Why do I have to do this? I never even wanted to move to this stupid town. Dad forced me to. It's not like I get a say in anything." Max kept complaining as he picked up some small boxes and exited the truck.

"Why, Petey, I didn't know you lived next door," Max heard his dad gasp in surprise to a very obese cat-like man in a brown jacket, bright red shirt, brown shoes and beige pants. The other man was covered in scratches and holding out the gray tabby cat that looked frightened. "Waffles, did you want to greet the neighbors? Did you have fun?"

The man known as Pete grumbled, "This is your cat? No wonder the thing set off my dog, Chainsaw. Your cat got me all like this!"

"Gawsh Pete, do you need a medical kit?"

"From you, no!" Pete left while shouting out two names. "PJ, Pistol!"

Max turned his attention to the house on the left side of theirs, it was quite fancier than the run down fixer up that his dad had paid half price for. Max couldn't help but laugh. The boy, a smaller and just as overweight Pete clone was dressed up in a pink bib and a matching pink footsie pajamas; sitting across from a little girl wearing her orange hair up in ponytails held up in yellow ribbons and wearing a flowery yellow dress. The two looked at their dad, both snickering. Pete glared at his kids and they ran inside.

Max returned back to the present, the bright opening just waiting for him to enter. The dog-faced man sighed, "I guess, I have no choice but to face them."


	3. Chapter 3

**I feel exhausted, I spent my entire day asleep. Is that normal? Also, my computer is acting up. I go to type and it pretty much said that my word document is "Not responding", which has happened twice thus far. It's really annoying and I think I need to limit my computer time or at least get a new computer since my old one seems to always get infected with viruses or acts very unresponsive.**

 **Chapter 3**

Max hated this world known as Traverse Town, it had brought up so many awful memories. The dog faced man rarely paid a visit to this hellhole since most of the jobs that he was lucky to get from the Organization took place elsewhere. Why he hated this world and was reluctant to go, it was simple; he didn't want to meet his father. Dad had told him everything would be a'okay and that he wouldn't allow anything bad to happen. That was a damn lie!

Max hated the flashbacks that arose, he hated remember seeing the people around him turn into sparks of light after those beasts, which he later learned were called Heartless attack them. Max had watched the loud and snooty car salesman, Pete and his wife, Peg fruitlessly fend off against the Heartless. Pete was nothing but yelling and throwing futile punches while Peg edged her buffoon of a husband on and confront their children, PJ and Pistol in the background. Max tried to intervene but he was soon dragged off by someone, his dad. Goofy stood in front of a portal, putting something around his preteen son's neck.

Max recalled dad's last words to him, "I know this is a late birthday, Maxey, but I think you need it more than ever. I'm sorry that I lied to you three but I had to-"

Max tried to protest but he was pushed into that strange portal before he could do so. He found himself in this strange Victorian village, the place or the part of the world where he had landed seemed quite quiet. There were only a few lights on and barely anyone around. The buildings looked like small light brown cottages stacked on top of each other. Max walked and walked, always on edge. "Dad, where are you?" he asked himself constantly. "You said you would be here. What did you mean by 'I'm sorry that I lied to you three'?"

Max eventually met into someone and it wasn't in the way he wanted. He found himself on his back and saw three faces leering at him. "PJ, Pistol and-"

PJ was the first to change his unpleasant glare to that of surprise. "Max, what are you doing here?" PJ exclaimed, offered a hand to the boy.

Max took PJ's hand, standing back on his feet. "I could ask you the same thing. How did you guys escape? What happened back there? What were those things?"

PJ scratched the back of his hand, his expression changed to that one of dismay. He turned back to Pistol and the other boy that had joined them. The boy was also a dog with peach colored skin, a mop of orange hair that seemed to barely cover his thick rimmed glasses; he was dressed in a stripped green and blue t-shirt, open toed light brown sandals and navy blue overalls. PJ felt a little nervous introducing the boy to Max, especially with him and Pistol still leering at the boy. PJ decided it was for the best after all, best that the four stick together since there was nobody else in this town, right?

"This is Bobby...Bobby Zimmuruski..." PJ answered, seeing Bobby's brows narrow and his teeth gritting.

Bobby spoke up, "Yeah, well thanks for that. I don't see why I need any help. I could have easily beaten those buggers if they hadn't ganged up on me like-"

"Bobby, knock it off!" PJ said suddenly, cutting off the boy's rant.

Pistol finally spoke up, "Where's...daddy and mommy…? Max...where did you go? Why...didn't help out?"

PJ went to his four year old sister's side and hugged her, her angry expression still unwavering. Max felt a guilty. He tried to answer her but the group was suddenly surrounded by Heartless. The small horde of shadows swooped closer to them, their amber eyes drawing them in. Max didn't know how to fend off these creatures. They crept closer and closer until they backed away. Max witnessed this and followed the glance of the Heartless, all of them were eyeing that thing around his neck. Max looked down at it and approached them slowly, the creatures backed away. He looked back at the other kids and witnessed they had something on their necks as well, the boy edged them into scaring off these beasts. It worked for now but the three older boys agreed that they had to find some place for the night.

They managed to stumble upon a boy, he looked completely different from them and everyone in their world, he was dressed in a leather black jacket with a white undershirt, leather boots, wore his chocolate brown hair in a ponytail and had wore some tight fitting leather jeans. The boy introduced himself as Leon and offered the quartet a place for the night. Max was given a small room with two steel bunks with striped blue and white sheets. The room was rather dull with white walls, oak flooring, a small rectangular window with teal green shutters, and mismatched oak dresser and nightstand.

Max went to bed that night, unsure of what to do next. He figured that he would have to wait for his dad to come and find them. Dad always knew what to do. Max went to bed that night with that thought, "Dad always figures something out, that's just who he is."

The first day of a new place was always the hardest to overcome. Max had met some other new faces, all of them very similar to Leon. He learned that they were from a world called _Radiant Gardens_ and had tried to talk to them, but the girl of the group, the one with the long braid and huge bangs changed the subject. Max looked the opposite way and proceeded to eat his soggy bowl of cereal. "These people won't help me find dad," he figured.

Max's mind went back to the present, he was still in the third district. According to the orders that he had received, Sora would be arriving here shortly. Max sighed deeply and sat at the fountain, he took a glove full of water and splashed it against his muzzle. The sensation was kind of needed, especially since it kept him from having old memories popping up. The large wooden doors of the third district opened up and Max stood up, preparing for whatever came.


	4. Chapter 4

**I apologize for being a little late. I hope you don't hate this chapter. I might need a beta to proofread once I am done uploading this chapter.**

 **Chapter 4**

Roxas seemed to be taking in the scenery quite well. When exiting the world, Axel thought Roxas would freak, boy was he wrong. Roxas was like a toddler. He kept kicking up sand with his boots, trying to make a big sand pile. Axel couldn't help but chuckle a bit. However, he soon remembered the mission that Saix had handed him.

The mission for the day was to find a chest. Axel rolled his eyes at the description and flipped the small beige paper over then his brows furrowed. Roxas was still kicking up dirt, his pile a little bit bigger. Axel thought to himself, "What is Saix thinking? He can't really be serious about him using the keyblade now especially on that type of Heartless!" The wild haired man crinkled the paper and shoved it into his pocket.

Roxas stopped kicking up sand once Axel placed a hand on his shoulder. The boy looked up at him with his usual empty aqua blue orbs and his lips pouting. "Don't look at me like that! You've got a job to do," Axel said straightforwardly.

Roxas pulled away and gave Axel a different expression this time. The twenty something redhead felt frustrated. This boy had been a nuisance ever since he arrived. Axel wanted to shake this kid because if he didn't get this job done then Saix will do him in. The redhead held his forehead between his fingers, strategizing how he would handle the zombie. Roxas slowly wandered away.

"Hey, let's just find that treasure chest and RTC'd!" Axel said.

Roxas looked at him grumpily and then started with making another sand pile.

"You really love doing that, don't you?" Axel asked, kneeling to Roxas's level.

Roxas nodded and Axel couldn't help but to feel embarrassed. He couldn't help but to compare how he and the others first came into this world. Were they really this infantile? Roxas glared at his sand pile and kicked it in frustration. That caught Axel off his guard.

"Why did you do that?" Axel asked.

Roxas tried to mouth something but he stopped himself. He just looked at Axel again with the same old grumpy and frustrated glare. Axel could relate, he had seen that same expression numerous times on Saix's face. Saix was always annoyed, especially on _that_ day and afterwards. The redhead shook off that image and placed a hand onto the sandy blonde haired boy's head, "I'll show you how to do something with this stuff."

Roxas blinked but watched solemnly as Axel wrote something in the sand. Axel wrote four letters in the sand with one finger and held a small amount of it in his hand. "S-A-N-D," Axel said as he pointed to each letter and making an odd noise from his lips.

Roxas looked confused but he was slowly getting when Axel placed his hand with the sand next to the letters and sounded them out. Roxas continued to stare but Axel wasn't giving up. He then had an idea and scattered the sand to form a new word. Roxas's eyes lit up a bit at the word. Axel looked at Roxas expectantly this time, "Can you summon it?"

Axel wanted to prove to himself that this boy was really as special as his coworkers and even Xemnas himself had suggested. He watched eagerly as the boy put forth his hand, silver sparks lit up but as Axel expected nothing came. A deep exasperated sigh escaped the man's mouth. The redheaded man stalked off frustrated, Roxas followed behind.

"Why don't you quit acting like a zombie?" Axel demanded, looking back at Roxas.

Roxas backed away little, sensing the tension in Axel's voice. Axel scratched the back of his head. "At least, you tried. I am not sure how the boss is going to handle my report and you once he finds out."

Roxas tried to mouth something out but Axel just shook his head. He walked off, the boy still following close behind. Axel looked back at Roxas, trying to separate himself from the boy. However, each time was fruitless. The redheaded man decided to summon a dark corridor, maybe then this _zombie_ would get the hint.

Axel called forth a dark corridor. Roxas practically screamed once he saw the dark purples, blues and blacks surround the older man. Axel rescinded the spirals once he heard that not so common voice shriek. The assassin just couldn't do that even if the boy's life depended on it. Abandoning Roxas just didn't look good even if Axel thought it was for the best.

Roxas rushed to Axel's side. His face lit up with relief. Axel scratched the back of his head. Roxas inched forward, pressing himself against the older and taller man. Axel pushed the boy away, knocking him over into the sand. Roxas looked up at him questioningly. Axel raised an eye brow at the boy.

"Jesus, I need to teach you some boundaries. You're so clingy!" Axel exclaimed as he knelt down, offering a hand.

Roxas uttered a "huh".

Axel sighed as he took one of Roxas's hands and put him back on his feet, "Let's just get this mission over and done with!"

Roxas looked away, not paying attention to Axel. Something caught his eye and with a mind of his own, the boy fled. The gingered haired man followed, Roxas seemed faster than usual. Axel was having a hard time keeping up this time, which was odd. Things were usually the reverse, especially since Roxas was always stumbling.

Roxas stopped like a freight train, causing Axel to trip. He fell face first into the sand. The sandy haired boy turned to him and did as Axel had done before, offered a hand. Axel took it and helped himself back up on his feet. The two turned to what had drawn Roxas's attention.

It was a chest, but not some ordinary chest. Axel took out the crumpled paper from his pocket and looked at it. He went pale as the chest in the small beige paper matched the one that Saix had given him. Axel looked at Roxas and recalled that the boy couldn't summon the keyblade. Well, he almost could. That wasn't good enough, especially not for Xemnas!

Axel would have to find some way to open the chest without the keyblade. There was still another problem though, the chest wasn't the typical steel rectangle with the circular lid and decorated with elaborate colors and designs. Axel knew the contents of the chest and perturbed about opening it. Something caught Axel by surprise and that was Roxas's glassy stare, the same sparks from before formed in his hand and something formed from those sparks. It looked like any basic skeletal key but just bigger, the blade and the teeth were the typical gray. The teeth reminded Axel a bit of a crown. There was a silver chain hanging from the faded golden guard, three silver circles formed at the edge; one in the middle while the two above it were smaller.

The keyblade didn't seem all that glamorous like Axel expected. Roxas pointed the end of the blade at the chest and a bright white light shot out of it. A large creature appeared out of the chest. Its amber yellow eyes looked at them hungrily at first but then noticed the _keyblade_ wielded by Roxas; it hissed and lunged its disembodied four fingered claws at Roxas. Axel pushed the surprised Nobody out of the way and brought out of his chakrams; they were circular wheel-like weapons with a black cross-like handle, red on the main wheel and smaller white wheels and spikes. The chakrams shielded him and orange flames shot out, attacking the Heartless's hands. The Heartless recoiled in pain.

Roxas got back up, keyblade still in hand. He jumped in front of Axel and destroyed the returning disembodied hands. The Heartless hissed loudly as it lunged its skeletal, shark like mouth at them. Roxas or rather whatever was possessing slammed the hilt into the creature's face. The Heartless pulled back. The sandy haired boy landed on the sandy ground slamming the teeth of the blade straight into the back of the creature's face.

Axel watched in astonishment as the creature exploded, smoky dark purple darkness blanketing its large body. Something popped out of the creature, it was light pink and heart shaped. Was that the heart Xemnas was talking about? Axel couldn't tell but what Roxas just accomplished was spectacular. Roxas ran to Axel's side, wondering if the redhead was okay. Axel just laughed it off, thinking of how relieved he was that he wouldn't have to lie and that he was wrong about Roxas just being a random special Nobody.

Axel and Roxas left that world and bright blue skies behind. Returning to that dreary world that they called home, Axel placed the boy to bed. Roxas had been worn out after finishing that Heartless and the funny thing that Number VIII couldn't figure out was that the keyblade wielder was clueless of what he had just did. Axel handed the beige paper to Saix. Annoyance written all over his face. Saix said nothing and just ripped the paper too shreds. That all happened on the eighth day.

Meanwhile Max had teleported to the top of a shingled rooftop, watching the strangers below. Max's eyes narrowed at the sight of a particular pooch or rather anthropomorphic floppy eared and dark furred dog man in green. The other two Max didn't care about. He wanted to jump in but something kept him back. Max pulled something out of his pocket and narrowed his eyes at it.

"Why do I still have this damn thing?" Max asked himself.

Max put the thing back into one of his pockets, his attention back on the three. The dog boy thought back to a certain girl. Her smile lit up his thoughts as did her auburn orange hair. What Max had perceived of as happiness dissipated as soon as another memory came up, this one not so joyful. He remembered Cid and the others. Cid had his suspicions about the castle. Something was up with those scientists and the scientist king hadn't been seen recently.

The blonde haired man with goggles adorning his forehead had taken the initiative to observe the castle. The six apprentices were acting just as suspicious as normal. He had assigned Max himself and his three friends: PJ, Bobby and Roxanne to monitor the castle for the night. The four adorned themselves in brown shabby robes.

They exited the back door. PJ and Bobby going ahead of them. Max and Roxanne's hands met. The orange haired dog girl smiled and Max uttered a little, "Ay-huck!"

The two held hands, talking. Their hands swinging back and forth. Crickets chirped and numerous pools and fountains of the Fountain Court sprayed around them. Max picked a daffodil and placed it in Roxanne's hair. Roxanne blushed.

"So, how did you get to Radiant Gardens?" Max asked.

"Oh, I came here the same way a lot of people arrived," Roxanne answered with a bit sadness in her voice.

"Oh," Max looked away.

"It's not like it matters since I'll see my dad again," Roxanne smiled looking up at the starry night sky.

"Yeah, I hope you see him again," Max replied.

"What about your dad, Max?" Roxanne asked inquisitively.

Max took a deep breath and pulled his hand slightly from Roxanne. "I don't miss that guy," he replied.

"Why?" Roxanne asked.

"I don't like talking about him," Max answered abruptly.

"Okay, I understand," Roxanne said innocently.

"We best check up on the guys," Max replied.

Roxanne nodded.

Max and Roxanne were unprepared for the sight that greeted them. They had been jumped by several Heartless. Max fought them off with Excalibur, a sword given to him by Merlin who said the sword was enchanted and belonged to some wise king from another world. Max swung it back and forth, piercing into the bodies of those forsaken souls. Roxanne pulled out a large hammer and smashed Heartless needlessly.

The Heartless outmatched them; Roxanne and Max were back to back. Hordes of Heartless crept closer and closer, their angry yellow eyes pleading for release. The couple didn't give up and smashed and slashed their way through the horde. The two met up with a panicked PJ and Bobby. PJ kept spouting out nonsense about Pistol, Cid and the others.

Max wanted to ask but the horde of Heartless behind them became more numerous. Their numerous dark bodies covered the bright and vibrant cobblestone court, small shops and fountain of the marketplace. The four pulled out their weapons. PJ was the first to go, ax bludgeoning into each creatures' head. The last three pursued.

Max shook the memory off and now stood before the trio. Sora glared at him with keyblade in hand along with a prepared Donald and Goofy. Max pulled out Excalibur. Three against one wasn't a fair fight. Max though had something up his sleeve.


	5. Chapter 5

**I seriously don't know how to write dialogue and fight scenes. I swear Max's confrontation with Donald, Goofy and Sora was weak and that his dialogue with Axel was even weaker.**

 **Chapter 5**

Max had managed to get the keyblade hero somehow away from Goofy and Donald. That was a relief to him since the boy was enough of a headache without those two around. Goofy was always charging at him while Donald was casting a variety of offensive spells and cures. Max was nothing without his buddies. Why did Saix send him on a solo mission again?

Max had put up one of those invisible shields, Goofy and Donald were pounding at it ruthlessly. Sora continued to glare and wield his silver key shaped weapon, he rushed at Max. Max rolled out of the way and sent a Thunder directed at him. The spiky brunette deflected it with the crown-shaped teeth of his blade. Sora this time watched Max and Max watched him. The two were unsure of the others' next movements. "A little gift for the hero!" Max chuckled as he pulled out a tiny red box from his pockets.

"Huh?" Sora uttered.

Max smiled a bit under his hood as his gloved hand opened the lid. A huge burst of what resembled a tornado came soaring to Sora's direction. Sora sent a Firaga at the swirling mass. The large orange and red fire ball went in the swirling mass and exploded. Lumps of blacks and dark magenta went flying everywhere.

Max took shelter on a nearby rooftop as he watched Goofy and Donald look at the brunette boy covered in the black and dark magenta gunk. The dog faced Nobody watched as the man that he called dad looked up in his direction with what looked like an angry glare. Max teleported away in black and purple smoke, that was enough for today. He needed to report back to Saix.

Max exited the corridor into the Gray Area, the lounge area of the castle. He took a seat on one of those sofas, waiting for Saix to get back to him. Max looked out of the long window-like wall that overlooked the abandoned city below. Why was it always lit up despite nobody living there? Well, only a few people living there.

Hard footsteps hit the marble steel-like floor and Max pulled out his report and the remnants of the already falling apart red box. Max had some things that he wanted to ask Saix and apparently so did the wild haired gingered creep that always snooped in on their _special_ meetings. He would approach that man some day if Saix wasn't around. Saix was surprisingly sneaky and temperamental if one tied or not tied to the Organization was caught.

"Your report, now!" Saix ordered.

Max got up, grumbling as he slapped the report into Saix's gloved hand. The cold amber yellow eyes of the nobody glared mercilessly into Max's irritated eyes. The anthropomorphic dog knew not to get on the scarred man's bad side. He had seen previous people including his own buddies get on Saix's nerves. It always ended up with a claymore to the face or thousands of missions.

"Here," Max grumbled.

"And," Saix added, pointed to the small red box that Max was still clinging onto.

Max narrowed his eyes and slapped the broken box on top of the reports. Max stalked off, hoping to bump into that creep. It seemed like it was just another day or night full of the same old crap. The castle seemed empty and so did the town. Max pulled out his house keys and entered his apartment. He dropped the keys once he saw a familiar face sitting on his leather L-shaped couch.

Max pulled out Excalibur. The wild haired redhead just smirked at his pathetic reaction. Max eyed the man as he patted a seat next to him with his gloved hand. The anthropomorphic dog pulled the enchanted sword to his side and sat a few seats away from the man. Max continued to eye the man while the creep seemed to look like he would keel over from laughter. The situation wasn't really that funny.

"Who let you in-" Max demanded but the man cut him off.

"Who let me, your buddies!" the man finished.

"Why did they-" Max demanded again but was once again cut off.

"They heard you wanted to meet me because you wanted a Q and A, right?" the man answered.

Max nodded, his eyes still narrowed.

The man laughed, "You're quite easy to figure out!"

"Hey, how did you even know where my place is and how did you hear that from PJ and Bobby?" Max demanded not letting himself be interrupted. Max stood up and pointed Excalibur at the man.

The man lowered the sword with a simple finger and met Max's eyes.

"I did some digging," the man replied calmly. "Also, the name's Axel! Got it memorized?"

"I still don't trust what you're saying," Max retorted.

"Nobody said you had to," Axel smirked.

Max withdrew Excalibur and sat back down, still seats away from Axel.

"So, how did you get here exactly?" Max asked.

"I had some time off work and babysitting to track you and your roommates done. I have only been in your place once."

"What?" Max exclaimed.

"Yeah, your buddies, PJ and Bobby allowed me because well," Axel summoned a chakram and then withdrew in small orange flames.

"You threatened my friends?!"

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Axel said dryly.

"Then how do you mean it?" Max demanded.

Axel just rolled his eyes then his sarcastic demeanor changed. His smile turned into a frown and Max was taken aback.

"I want to know what your relationship is with Saix," Axel said seriously.

"I-I, PJ and Bobby get jobs from him from time to time," Max replied.

"Oh, it's nothing more serious," Axel asked with an eyebrow raised.

"No!" Max exclaimed.

"I guess if it's just for work then I should have no issue. However, I've seen the girl upstairs. Your buddies even told me-"

"Don't bring Pistol into this!" Max scolded.

"Why?" Axel asked.

"She isn't part of this discussion! She has enough shit to deal with!" Max rebuked.

"You don't need to be so pushy. I ain't gonna hurt her."

"How can I trust your word?" Max demanded.

"She's too young for me and plus dog people aren't really my thing!" Axel's smirk returned briefly then returned to a frown once noticing Max's disgust.

"You need to take a chill pill! Got it memorized?" Axel responded.

"It's easy for you to say. You don't have someone to protect." Max accused.

"Oh, but I do. I have someone precious to me," Axel replied.

"You do?" Max asked.

"Yes, he's a new member."

"Roxas, right?" Max asked.

Axel looked at him with surprise.

Max chuckled then nudged the redhead.

"Saix told me about him and I think I've seen him around town before. Short, tousled sandy blonde hair, and always with an emotionless stare on his face, right?" Max asked.

Axel nodded, "Yes, that's him! What did Saix tell you about him?"

"That's private," Max retorted.

Axel got up and stretched.

"He's the Keyblade Hero's Nobody, right?" Axel asked. "You were given a job by Number VII to handle that Keyblade Hero."

"I think you need to go," Max retorted.

Axel shrugged and headed towards the door. Before he left, he said something to Max, "Don't worry your secret is safe with me. I'll help you get more jobs to help you with that girl but don't do anything risky. Got it memorized?"


	6. Chapter 6

**So, I decided to redo chapter six. Hopefully, it's better this time, Vaude. I decided to split up Axel's fight with Saix and his encounter with Ludwig von Drake into two chapters. I hope that works better this time. I am still having a difficult time combining dialogue with fight scenes.**

 **Chapter 6**

Axel couldn't tell what was up with Saix. The scarred nobody was really plagued with making it in second in command. Number VIII didn't really give a damn. He just wanted to keep to the mission that he and the azure-blue haired man agreed to oh so long ago. Roxas seemed to be entangled in their plan.

Ever since the sandy-blonde haired rookie arrived, he had been nothing but a thorn in Axel's side. He was always playing babysitter to the emotionally stunted fifteen year old boy. The _Flurry of Dancing Flames_ had practically only witnessed Roxas pull off that keyblade stunt of his whenever he was on a mission with him. The other times Axel wasn't there but other members were was another story. Larxene in typical bitch fashion griped about how she couldn't get the brat to swing around that gigantic key of his to smash up the Heartless. Larxene just had to repeatedly stab and shock the creatures too bits.

Axel even recalled some members ranting about Roxas the other day in one of the numerous lengthy hallways. He had pretty much been on his way to fetch a snack from the cafeteria when he spotted the two and Axel noted that Vexen was pretty much dominating the conversation. Zexion the other member in attendance just nodded at every blustering point that the light-blonde haired man made. The redhead usually joked about how the bookworm desperately needed a haircut but that day Axel just acknowledged how fortunate the _Cloaked Schemer_ was in that instance.

Rumors began circulating about a possible replacement for Roxas. Axel couldn't help but to be concerned and a little curious. How could they get another keyblade wielder? Wasn't Roxas and the Keyblade Hero the only known ones? Axel pretty much put the thought on the back burner of his mind. He would have to find an alternative to make sure Roxas made the grade.

He had done just that. Whenever the other members had left, Roxas would stay behind. Most of them would just abandon the nobody to turn in their half of the report. Axel would swoop in and entice the newbie into knocking out some Heartless. He also did that when Roxas began working solo missions. It worked out great even though Number VIII came back more exhausted than before Roxas joined up.

Axel reflected upon the past days in his boxers and in his room. He laid in his bed, back aching and eyes fixated upon a certain speck on the slate-gray marble ceiling above. The speck transformed for a brief moment of time into a simple word _, Winner._ Axel blinked it away and sat up in bed. His back obviously snapping back in place as he started doing some stretching exercises.

"Why do I keep putting myself out for that-" Axel groaned before being interrupted.

The sounds of chains rattling and heavy footsteps against metal caught Axel's attention. He just turned his head, not bothering to get up or address his special guest. Saix just glared disapproving at the half naked redheaded man. An object was thrown, hitting Axel in the chest. He picked up the decrepit black journal. The Flurry of Dancing Flames gave Saix a quizzical look that was met with nothing but a glare.

Axel saw something sticking out of the book. It was a popsicle stick. The Flurry of Dancing Flames opened the book to where the popsicle was. A sentence was on the already blank and crinkled white page. The sentence read simply, "I know what you are up to."

Axel threw the book at Saix and stood up. He had gone from bewildered to downright insulted. Axel could have sworn that Saix had smirked for just that one second. Whatever the expression, a spiked blade was pressed up against his chest. Axel summoned his chakrams and knocked one of them away from his chest.

"I am only following orders, Saix. Or did you just forget that I am helping you to the top?" Axel sneered at the grumpy nobody.

"Those weren't orders that I specified," Saix reprimanded the nobody while knocking one of Axel's chakrams out of his hand.

Axel leaped over the oncoming claymore. Saix cast a Blizzard, ice shards gathered and circulated towards the obnoxious assassin. Axel chuckled a bit and sent out a Fira. Medium sized fireballs collided with the ice shards, leaving behind small puddles of water on the marble floor. The two stared at each other.

"Is that anyway to treat an old amigo?" Axel mocked.

The amber yellow orbs of Saix's eyes began to consume Saix's eyes. Axel wondered if he went too far this time. He glanced over at his chakram and thought about just walking over to it. It was his bedroom after all and Saix wouldn't attack a comrade in his own bedroom, right? Bedrooms weren't meant for physical altercations especially between a lunatic and a pyromaniac.

Axel's mockery of the lunatic cost him another chakram and a crash into one of the walls. Orange and red flames surrounded the pyromaniac's fingers and both chakrams were back. Saix charged at him, blue shock waves flooding the entire room. Axel managed to dodge the madman but the shock waves sent him flying for a bit. He recovered in the air but because of the size of the room. All he could do was take the punches and keep on the offensive.

Much of the bedroom began to take on the effects of their battle. Clothes were torn and scattered over the place. Furniture was knocked over and damaged. Dents in the walls that gradually formed into craters. Axel tackled Saix to the floor.

Pinning him down, green orbs meeting with yellow. Saix swung his claymore and whacked the pyromaniac off of him. The lunatic stood up. Axel rolled out of the way and got himself back up to his feet. "What's your problem?" Axel demanded.

Saix didn't respond. The battle continued and with it the destruction became worse. Clothes were reduced to tattered rags. Craters became enormous holes with chunks of marble laying about. Saix leaped up into the air and threw his claymore down. Blue shock waves went sent everywhere. Axel jumped up to avoid the attack. The usually reserved would be second in command grabbed the pyromanic.

Saix called in one of his lackeys, a large bulky blob known as a Berserker. The _Luna Diviner_ and the Berserker both charged at Axel. Both men glared at each other, weapons colliding with each other. Axel was outnumbered, the two nobodies combined their efforts and sent the pyromaniac soaring out of what used to be the room's window. Axel fell out of the window and into the abandoned and dimly lit city below.

Two figures watched as the pyromaniac hit the pavement with a thud. His vision of them started becoming blurry. He closed his eyes and thought of Saix and Roxas. What did Saix mean by telling him to stay out and was it related to Roxas's rumored replacement? Axel eventually fainted because the pain was too much.


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't own any Final Fantasy, Disney or Kingdom Hearts characters.**

 **Chapter 7**

It had been two weeks since Axel "moved" into Max's place. He was showing signs of quick recovery then when he first showed up. "Probably because the Organization is involved," Max noted once he noted that Vexen commented on the redhead's bones being less broken and no longer needing a body cast for it.

"He's still got quite a ways to go," Vexen commented.

"Really? For how long?" Max basically demanded.

"I would say about five or six months," Vexen replied nonchalantly.

"What? You can't be serious!?" Max practically exclaimed. "Isn't there any way you can speed up the process?" Max was at this point on his knees, clawing at the blonde scientist's robes.

"There is one way," Vexen pondered after snagging the hem of his cloak from Max's gloved hands.

"Really?" Max asked, looking up to the scientist's eyes.

"But it would require work," Vexen finished.

"Well, get on with it. If it speeds up Axel's recovery and gets him out of my place asap. I'm all ears," Max got some sort of cold feeling in his shoulder as soon as those words escaped his lips. He then looked up at Vexen, who returned with a sly smile.

"It would require a replica, I have data on all of the Organization members. If I so chose to, I could create a replica of the Superior himself," Vexen explained.

"A replica, you mean like-" Max was about to say before Vexen placed a hand onto the dog man's face.

"Yes," Vexen answered.

"Okay, but what about this hypothetical replica? How will it get Axel out of my hair," Max demanded.

"That remains to be seen. Now, no more word of this," Vexen commanded and with that he was gone in a bolt of darkness.

Max was beginning to despise Axel more and more. He didn't need another snarky redheaded creeping on him to the Organization and meddling in his strategy to get as far away from this place as possible with his buddies. The anthropomorphic dog barely got a say now in days. He wished he still had Pistol and Roxanne around at least they knew how to listen instead of hustling back and forth between the Organization for the mediocre reconnaissance tasks, getting medicare from other worlds because they didn't receive it due to not being officially workers for the Organization, and so much more. Max planned on fleeing, it's not like those big wigs would go out of their way searching for a couple of no name slaves. They had do everything for themselves; find a place, work their asses off each and every day for no appreciation and no compensation, get their own food, make their own food, clean their own run down place, and etc. It was infuriating! At least, Goofy treated him better despite being a bold faced liar.

Max wanted to pull the plug on Axel's treatment but something in him wouldn't allow him. Was it his conscience? No! Max had discarded that years ago when he killed Roxanne just to get this place. He recalled the desperate look on her face as he hesitantly swung Excalibur down on her. She shrieked and nothing was left of her.

Max hated this apartment because it reminded him of Roxanne. It was small and out of shape but the memories of his transgression against his late girlfriend just to "enter" the Thirteenth Order and "get a home" were burdensome to say the least. Xemnas was a horrible monster, more heartless than any Heartless that the grown man had ever encountered upon his travels. Why should Axel be tormented or punished because of Max's own guilty qualms? That would make him as low as the Superior himself, right?

Besides Max had other errands to run while he was still here. Namely checking upon a certain rookie while Vexen prepared the Axel replica. "God, those were some words that didn't belong together, Ah-yuck! Best to call it a night!" Max noted while he landed a fist against his jaw before going to bed.

The night was the same as any other nights in a city that never had a sunrise, bleak and restless. Barely anyone save for a certain Nobody managed to get any sleep. Max knew who that was, his name was Roxas. The sandy blonde haired rookie basically returned back to the blank slate he was upon joining the Organization. Saix had tasked the adult bloodhound to give the boy pointers but something about it just reeked. Perhaps, it was that faint voice that whispered in Max's droopy ears last night.

"They'll destroy you if you get on their bad side?" Max mouthed the words upon waking, stretching and putting on his black Organization XIII cloak that he had riddled among many dirty clothes and objects of his small bedroom.

Max glanced at the room, recalling how his dad would bust in each and every morning. Goofy was usually wrapped in bath towels, one on his head and the other around his waist. "Mornin' son," he would say bursting in with the vacuum.

"D-DAD!" Max would utter, grabbing whatever was closest to him to cover himself up with.

Goofy would set eyes upon Max's room and cross his arms. "Max, I thought we talked about this," the old hound man would respond with a look of disappointment.

"Yeah, yeah! But could you please knock before entering?!" Max would grumble.

"Ah-yuck, sorry Maxey," Goofy would have said before shutting the door, knocking and then asking to be let in.

Max would have gathered all of the junk laying on the floor and shove it into his closet and then say, "Come in!"

Of course, Maxey no longer had a father to argue with anymore. Goofy was long gone taking care of some spiky haired humanoid brat. His pops had ditched him for those old buddies of his. Max sat at the kitchen counter when he reflected upon his dad, he could have sworn that he saw that creep in his glass of orange juice. Smiling and going "Ah-yuck!" in his usual aggravating fashion. Max blinked away the distortion, grabbed the glass and hurled it at the sink.

"Max, you can't do that!" PJ chastised him as he stopped the glass from colliding with the gray tiled wallpaper with an aura of pinkish violent light.

"I KNOW, LEAVE ME ALONE AND STAY OUT OF MY LIFE!" Max shouted, standing up but then saw PJ's reaction.

PJ had placed the glass on the counter, ignoring the outburst. Max took this time to run out of the apartment, disregarding Bobby's "Whoa harsh!" comment and Axel's machines going off and his labored breathing. Rushing into the utter darkness to the forsaken mechanical whitish gray castle that hovered above the City That Never Was, Max ascended the crystal blue flat ramp up and up till he was inside. Inside the Castle That Never Was, this might get his thoughts straight.


	8. Chapter 8

**I don't own Kingdom Hearts nor Disney. I tried expanding my words and I hope this is an improvement to the previous, Vaude.**

 **Chapter 8**

Max grabbed his pillow from his twin sized rocket-shaped bed and screamed into the pillow. A tap came from above along with a wheezy voice, "Can you keep it down? Some of us are trying to sleep for Pete's sake!"

Max groaned and flopped on his bed with pillow in hand. A knock came from the door. "Come in," Max said.

The door slammed open and a shaved headed fellow with sunglasses popped his stupid mug in. "Hey Max man, can you loan me some-"

"I said keep it down!" PJ's voice mumbled from one of the upstairs vacant bedrooms.

Bobby scurried into Max's room with a freshly shaved head and without permission, and proceeded to egg on PJ. Bobby cupped his hands into the shape of a megaphone, "Well, excuse me, Snow White, but some of us were trying to ASK our buddies something!"

"Yes, I do quite mind!" PJ bellowed back. "Especially since you left the toilet seat up and left piss everywhere for me to clean up."

"Well, those chemicals that you used made me want to puke," Bobby countered.

"I wouldn't have to use those cleaning solutions if you weren't such a slob," PJ yelled.

"Hey guys-" Max tried to intervene.

"Slob? At least I am not some OCD basket case that gets on people's cases because they didn't take out the trash right away when it was barely full," Bobby bawled.

"I don't like Heartless, Dusks and cockroaches sneaking into this place!" PJ admitted.

"Please, that's a load of crap! You, Max, and I all know that you just gingerly let those guys in the white suits whisk their way in here everyday," Bobby replied, scowling.

"Guys, I think-"

"STAY OUT OF THIS!" both PJ and Bobby vocalized in unison.

Max was now fuming, he stood up from his bed while. Bobby uttered a nervous laugh but no reply came from PJ. "You two listen to me," Max Goof ordered. "I have always been patient and picked up and verified that everything was neat and orderly and sloppy and messy. I have tried giving you both a roof over your heads because that old fart up in that castle up there thinks crap of us. He was going to kick us out had I declined to take in his little goon even after I had to kill Roxanne for this dump!"

"Max, she was your-" Bobby exclaimed in shock.

"I know! Don't think for one second that I don't FUCKING regret it what I did to her." Max's eyes turned upward. "Oh and PJ, your sister, Pistol says hi!"

"What? Why bring her into this?" PJ demanded, voice obviously hesitating.

"I saw her in that crumbling building that day. Hell, I even rescued her from it." Max fumed.

"What crumbling building? Why does Pistol-?"

"Just shut up!" Max snapped.

The upper floor went silent.

"Dude, that was harsh," Bobby could only mouth before scurrying back into the hallway.

()()()

Max was alone in his bed, knees up to his face and back bent. His boots-his rather filthy boots were on the pristine white sheets that he slept in. PJ would scold him for this, PJ was just like his idiot dad. Max Goof got off from the bed and glanced at the sheets, seeing the mess of unfolded and stained up made him pleased with himself at first until he furthered his thinking and recalled PJ demanding to know more about his little sister. The anthropomorphic hound was just repulsed by his action of just shutting down a conversation.

He looked out his window and saw storm clouds forming around where he was headed to. Max slipped on a black coat that was thrown haphazardly against a collapsing wooden chair and put it on. "I'm sorry guys," Max mouthed before opening a corridor and walking straight into, purple and black smoke evaporated on spot.

()()()

Max trudged through the empty vast city, rain drenching his black coat and hood concealing his face. Dark creatures known as Heartless lurked underfoot but dared not mess with the anthropomorphic hound. They had learned from previous encounters what would happen; a whack to the head, a slash to the abdomen, and many combos that would leave any trained gladiator in scathing condition. Max Goof wasn't here to do combat, he was here to get take a short cut from his personal life. Well, more like confront them to be technical.

Max trudged through the puddles, endless sloshing could be heard. He stopped from his destination; a large skyscraper dwarfed by other much more colossal skyscrapers stood in front of him along with its key feature, a white fourteen wheeler semi truck laying on its side. Max Goof approached the dimly lit dwarfed skyscraper with its turned over semi truck and its gigantic television screen that rested in the middle of the entrance and the top. The anthropomorphic dog glanced up at it for a second hopefully. Nothing came on. He sighed with relief and was about to turn away with a loud ZAP echoed through the forsaken city. The flat surface was now showing an image, an image that Max didn't want to reminiscence about.

()()()

Images flashed on screen, white illuminated the abandoned metropolis. Max pulled his hood closer and marched on. Ignoring the video playing on screen, he didn't want to gawk but something forced his hand. It was a thing called a Heartless. The strange beast leaped out of nowhere, claws outstretched. Max thought the Heartless wouldn't dare strike. Boy was he dearly wrong!

A clout to the abdomen left Max reeling in temporary pain. He got up, pulling out _Excalibur_. For a brief second, he caught a glimpse. A glimpse of that face beaming at him as he held that godforsaken sword that he now carried in his hands towards her. "Max, do what you can. I understand," she told him.

Max closed his eyes and shrieked, "Roxanne!"

He was back in the presence and back glaring at that awesome Neoshadow warily. Max Goof could feel blood leaking from his chest area but he clung to the same sword that he had held onto that brief indiscernible memory. He couldn't recall where he was; somewhere inky black with waves crashing against rocks and of course Roxanne's euphoric smile. "Enough!" Max howled bestially before dashing towards the poor thing and ripping it in two with a sacred sword.

Max stopped, staring at the Heartless. It was no more but a foggy substance at the tip of his sword. His lips pursed into a smirk and he gazed upon the heart shape moon above. Content with vanquishing his foe. The fathom moon in the clouded murky sky seemed content with him as well but more clouds came and swallowed it up. An unexpected pain left Max Goof vulnerable.

His fingers then his hand began to sting. Max glanced upon his hand but by then he the sting became a pain and moved to his forearm. The pain became agonizing and the anthropomorphic dog reacted instinctively, causing his sword to fall to clatter to the pavement. The agony instantly ceased but Max was wary. He threw his gloves off and pulled off his sleeves of his black Organization XIII cloak, horrified by what he saw.

Max Goof approached Excalibur with caution. His bare charred hands half haphazardly touched the hilt...nothing happened. Max cheered and jeered. "I'm so sorry, Excalibur!" Max Goof apologized as he kissed the sword's blade.

He glanced around and placed the sword away, trudging back towards the hovering mechanical castle that sat above.


End file.
